Erich Petersen - Medical Assistance Fund

On August 18, 2023, 19 year-old Erich, was full of excitement. He had alot to be thankful for. He was starting his sophomore year at Colorado Mesa University (CMU), moving into his first apartment (finally out of the dorms) and getting ready for his 20th birthday. He was excited to play Lacrosse (#18 if you want to know) for a second year at CMU with his older brother Philip. He was excited to do what college kids do – go out, have fun, laugh, play, adventure – the

things we all did in college, without a care in the world. He had everything he owned packed into the family’s old Ford Excursion ready to continue this life he had only just begun to live on his own.

But that excitement was not meant to last. The cards he had been dealt had other things in store for him. One minute he was talking, laughing, making plans and going to college. The next minute his life as he knew it was gone. In the blink of an eye everything changed.

For Erich, tragedy literally fell from the sky. As he drove to his new apartment around 9:30 pm on the evening of August 18th, it was storming a bit. He had just talked with his girlfriend and was getting close to Grand Junction. As he drove through the DeBeque Canyon near Palisade, a boulder the size of a U-haul truck dislodged and slammed down onto I-70, at exactly the same time as he was passing. Large fragments of rock, possibly from that boulder, shot through his

windshield, shattering it, then slamming into his head. Unbelievably, he drove another mile and a half before veering into the cement median. Someone on the road saw the collision and called 911. An off-duty first responder was nearby and came to the scene immediately radioing in that an ambulance needed to arrive imminently or the Flight for Life helicopter would need to be called. If he didn’t get to the hospital his brain would continue to bleed resulting in death.

But he did not die that night. Maybe partly due to the serendipitous luck of having an off-duty first responder on the scene or partly due to having a neurosurgeon on call and available to perform surgery or maybe partly due to his spirit, his stubbornness, his strength and his will to live. Erich was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction where emergency brain surgery was performed. He was placed into a medically induced coma. A few days later, he woke in the ICU.

While he is awake, he has a long road of recovery ahead of him. He will need substantial in-patient rehabilitation therapy and his medical bills are skyrocketing. This treatment is necessary to hopefully get him close to where he was before the boulder hit. It is unknown whether this will be weeks or months and it is unknown what this will look like. Erich has the will but we need the help to give him the way. Erich has demonstrated all of the characteristics he had before this accident in his recovery. He is determined, focused, caring, loyal, funny, athletic, independent, and strong willed. These traits will carry him through. But his life, as he knew it, will forever be changed.

We have started this Go Fund Me account to ease the burden of his parents, Jeff and Tina. Jeff and Tina have four boys – Philip, Erich, Julius and Christian. Three of the boys are in college and one is in high school. Over the next days, weeks, and months ahead they will need to be at countless doctor appointments, hospital stays and rehabilitation.  As you can imagine, the normal costs of everyday living...such as mortgage, food, gas and car, in addition to the

medical costs, can be astronomical. Your support will enable Erich’s parents to concentrate on Erich healing and getting stronger. 

From the bottom of our hearts we humbly ask that you share this link with friends and family and, if possible, in giving (any amount will help). We thank you for your support and God bless each and every one of you!!

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: This fundraiser was started by Kim Puntel, family friend of Erich Petersen and family. Tina Petersen, his devoted mother, will be paying the medical bills for Erich as they come in.